


Love You Like a Sehlat

by sullacat



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Fairy Tales, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Reverse Big Bang Challenge, Soul Bond, Star Trek: AOS, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-29
Updated: 2012-06-29
Packaged: 2017-11-08 20:05:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/447004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sullacat/pseuds/sullacat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Once upon a time, there were three young children who lived on Vulcan, three young boys who really didn't get along."  Love isn't always like a fairy tale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love You Like a Sehlat

**Author's Note:**

> Excessive use of flashbacks. A bit angstier than my usual fluff.  
>  **Notes:** So much thanks to Altilis and Kinderjedi for their eyes and help with this. Written for 2012 Trekreversebang. I saw this image  by Kenshincha and I had to grab it. Characters not mine, no infringement intended.
> 
> Art link [here](http://kenshincha.livejournal.com/13981.html).

_Once in awhile,  
Right in the middle of an ordinary life,  
Love gives us a fairy tale. ~ anonymous_

"Leonard." 

McCoy looked up from the computer screen that he was staring at, some medical record he'd been trying to update for the past hour, to no avail. "Yes?" he answered the voice, recognizing the concerned tone in Nyota's voice, evident across the communication device. "You got some news?"

"We received an incoming message from Command. Admiral Ramus just finished speaking with Mr Scott." 

"Okay," Leonard replied, nodding to himself. "Thank you for the heads up, Lieutenant."

"Of course. Are you okay?" she asked, and Leonard could hear the worry in her words. 

"I'm good," he answered, almost meaning it, before flipping off the communicator. Standing, he headed out of his office and out of Sickbay. He'd made it to the end of the corridor when he saw Scotty heading in his direction. "I was just-"

"Aye, I figured you'd want to chat. Just spoke with Admiral Ramus." Scotty didn't much like being third in command when Jim and Spock were gone, pulled away from his precious engines, but at least in him Leonard knew they had a good man at the helm. 

"I heard," Leonard answered. "What did he say?"

Mr Scott's face hesitated, and Leonard knew it wasn't great news. "There's still no word from the Captain or Mr Spock. Starfleet Command has spoken to the dilithium miners on the Braxis colony and they're certain that their leadership was not being false with us, that they truly haven't seen Jim or Spock."

"We know they made it to the surface," Leonard muttered in frustration. Kirk and Spock had contacted the ship, said they were heading into the village to speak with the leader of the miners about their labor disputes, and then nothing, no word from either of them since. 

That was two days ago, and now everyone was starting to worry, particularly Command, who had arranged this meeting between the _Enterprise_ and the miners, whose 'shortages' were starting to affect Fleet dilithium inventory. "Well, thanks for the update." Leonard sighed, wishing the news had been better. 

Scotty looked much the same. "Aye," he nodded. "How are the wee ones doin'?" he asked, his face full of genuine concern.

"They're good," Leonard said, walking toward the lift. "I mean, as well as can be expected. They've been through so much already, losing their parents, their friends. Not knowing what's going on with Jim and Spock..." Leonard shrugged, not sure what to say. "It's not easy for them."

"Not for any of you," Scotty added sympathetically, clapping his shoulder before heading off in another direction. Leonard took the lift to the Science labs, walking slow, trying to work out in his head what he was going to tell the kids. 

Not that he had to say much. Leonard knew Vulcan children were highly advanced compared to those on Earth, and these two were no exception. Lesai at seven was quiet and reserved, but with a mind that never forgot anything she heard. Koss was five, still with a little of that childlike innocence Leonard was familiar with. 

But as he watched the two of them, reading to themselves, his heart twisted inside him. Too young to be off on their own, the only survivors of the _T'sai_ , a Vulcan science ship that had fallen victim to a sudden onslaught of choriocytosis, deadly to their species. The _Enterprise_ had arrived with medication, but not quick enough to save their parents. Since the Vulcan ship was still being quarantined, Jim had volunteered to take the children to the new Vulcan colony of Narata, where extended family were waiting to adopt them. That had been four weeks ago.

Starfleet's directive, sending them to deal with the Braxis miners was supposed to have taken them off course temporarily, but now Jim and Spock were missing, and the ship sat in orbit over Braxis, not going anywhere. 

Eventually Leonard made it to the Science labs, where the children spent their days, typically under Spock's guidance. "Hey guys," he said as he stepped into the room. 

The two children looked up at the sound of his voice. "Doctor," they both murmured softly, standing to greet him and collecting their things. 

"Everything go okay?" he asked Lieutenant Collins, one of the biologists on board, and their alpha-shift caretaker during Spock's absence. 

"They were fine," she replied, looking fondly at the two. "Lesai's has been studying various software navigation systems, and after lunch Lieutenant Sulu stopped by to work with Koss and his seedlings." 

"That's great," Leonard said, offering her a grateful smile. Even though the kids lived with him, Jim, and Spock, the entire crew had been touched by the children's situation, and truly reached out to help where and when they could. "Ready?" he asked the kids, nodding at the door. "So, how was your day?"

Koss was chatty, or as chatty as a Vulcan child could be. He discussed his current cartography lesson and a novel he was reading as they walked to the guest suites they were all occupying. It wasn't the normal captain's quarters he typically shared with Spock and Jim, but in order to keep the children closer, they relocated temporarily to a furnished guest suite, larger, with more space to accommodate all five of them. 

Lesai hadn't said anything yet, not until they reached their rooms. "Any news of the Captain and Commander Spock?" she asked, looking up at Leonard with large dark eyes. Koss looked curious as well. 

"Nothing yet," Leonard answered, trying not to look worried. "They're okay, I know that. C'mon," he placed a hand on Koss' shoulder. "Let's get ready for dinner." 

They talked quietly as they ate, a simple meal of steamed root vegetables and tea. Spock had told Jim and him that the children understood Terran culture and would not expect them to adhere to the stricter Vulcan nutritional tenets, but the two men had agreed to change their diets for the time being, another show of solidarity with the children. "The least we can do," Jim had said at the time, and Leonard agreed. Being around them also gave Leonard some special insight into Spock, what it must have been like for him as a child of two worlds. 

 

Getting ready for bed that night, he walked into their room, and sat down on a chair. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" he asked, trying to keep their 'routine' as normal as possible. Evenings were usually Jim's time with the kids - talking to them, listening to them, wanting to help them as much as he could. Something about the orphans' situation touched Jim deeply, and he really took the children's welfare to heart. Maybe it had been his own loss as a child, growing up without his father. Whatever it was, it had been Jim's idea to bring them into their 'family', hoping to make their transition as easy as possible, a decision that all three agreed to without question.

All of them had been affected, really, and that had only brought the three men even closer together. 

Koss talked about visiting the botany labs and the work he'd done on the small plot of land he'd been given. Lesai remained quieter than her usual reticent self, which worried Leonard. "Sounds like you had quite the afternoon," he told Koss, before turning his attention to the small, serious girl. "I've known those two men for many years," he said to her softly. "They're all right. Nothing is going to keep them down, especially if they're together." He glanced at her face again, wondering. "Is there something else bothering you?" Leonard asked. 

Lesai looked thoughtful for a moment, a look on her face that Leonard recognized when Spock had something to say. "I was reviewing our curriculum this morning, comparing it with a traditional Vulcan educational experience," she said, looking over at Koss then back at Leonard. "When we get to Narata, will the other students accept us? Our studies have been so interrupted, and despite access to the facilities here on board your ship, I am quite certain we are falling behind." 

What a thing to be worried about... but Lesai genuinely seemed concerned. "People will understand," he told her as he stood, taking the plates to the recycler as the children cleared the table. 

But it didn't look as if she believed him. "How about a story?" he asked later that night as the children readied themselves for bed. "I know Captain Jim likes to tell you guys stories."

Koss' lips turned up a little. "He tells us about experiences he has had as captain of this starship," he said, wiggling into his bed, getting comfortable. 

"Well, you don't want to know about all of my experiences," Leonard laughed, "unless you want to hear about shoulder dislocations and Andorian shingles. Here, how about this one," he began, settling into his chair. "Once upon a time, there were three bears. A Momma bear, a Poppa bear, and a Baby bear." 

"If you are referring to bears of the family Ursidae, Doctor, they are typically solitary animals," Koss told him. 

Lesai added, "A female with a cub would most certainly drive off any male, even her mating partner, should he-" 

"Well, these bears were a family," Leonard told them, arching his brow. "One day, a little girl named Goldilocks was walking down a path in the forest, on her way to her grandma's house. She passed by their house, with all these good smells coming out, and she-"

The children looked at each other, as if he were worried about him. "Bears do not have houses, Doctor," Koss told him, a serious look on his face. 

Leonard's eye twitched. "Okay, you got me," he told them. "It was a silly story anyway." An idea popped into his head, a memory. Maybe he could ease Lesai's worry about being accepted. "Let's try another one. Once upon a time, there were three young children who lived on Vulcan, three young boys who really didn't get along." Leonard coughed, wondering how to explain this, but their eyes were on him, even Lesai showing a little interest, so he had to push on. 

"Well, two of them were okay with each other, they were friends from school. One of them was sort of popular among the other students, his name was... Tiberius. He was very smart, even for a Vulcan, and very athletic, and because of that, other children would want to be around him." Reaching out, he touched one of Koss' feet. "But his best friend was one of the quiet kids. His name was Horatio."

Both of them were still listening intently. "Right. So, the two boys hung out a lot, after classes, and when they were together, they had a good time. But the other students also wanted Tiberius to hang out with them, and it made Horatio sad. Well, as sad in a logical way," he added with a wry smile. 

"Couldn't Tiberius have invited Horatio with him when he went to visit his other friends?" Koss asked, snuggling into his pillow. "Surely that would have made the most sense?"

Leonard shook his head. "Horatio wasn't the most logical of all Vulcans," he chuckled softly. "It was hard for Horatio to be around lots of people like that. He just didn't like that kind of sharing, so he stayed home and read."

"I like to stay home and read," Lesai admitted, looking over at Koss a little jealously. 

Leonard's heart hurt at that small confession. "There's nothing wrong with that," he told her. 

"Was he lonely?" she asked, "when Tiberius went out with the others?"

"He was," Leonard nodded, his eyes darkening as he spoke. "But then one day a new student enrolled in their school, and what do you know it - he was a bit of a loner too. His name was... Selek." Leonard smiled. "The two loners found themselves alone 'together' at times, and soon they became friends."

"What about Tiberius?" Koss asked, arching his eyebrow. 

"Tiberius was still very popular, and he knew that Horatio was a little sad being alone all the time. He also could see that Selek wanted to be friends with Horatio, so he stepped back and let them be, so they could get to know each other." 

"Tiberius wasn't friends with Selek?"

Leonard laughed. "It took a little time but soon they all became friends. Good friends, like the kinds you are going to find once we get to Sha'Kwai." Standing, he nodded at both of them. "Time for sleep now," he told them, chuckling at their childish protests. "Good night you too."

 

Closing the door behind him, Leonard walked straight to the cabinet where he kept his bourbon, poured himself two fingers of amber liquid and flopped down on the sofa. The story had gotten some memories flowing in his head, dark and sweet like the drink in his tumbler. The ring on his fourth finger, a wide platinum band, clinked against the tumbler as he brought it to his mouth.

"And they all became friends," he murmured to himself, chuckling. If only it had been that easy...

* * *

>   
>  **Two years ago...**   
> 

>  

> "You going?"
> 
> Leonard sat up in bed, throwing his legs off the side. "Yeah... early morning tomorrow."
> 
> A hand slid around his waist. "You don't have to..."
> 
> "I do. This," Leonard shook his head. "Shouldn't do this."
> 
> Jim snorted, sitting up. "You say that each time." 
> 
> Leonard grunted. "I mean it each time."
> 
> Jim wrapped his arms around Leonard, kissing his shoulder. "Don't go." Leonard shrugged free, reached for his pants as he slid them on. Jim folded his hands and looked down at them as Leonard finished dressing. "I don't know what you want me to do."
> 
> "Yes, you do," Leonard murmured, glancing at himself in the mirror as he tried to fix his hair. Everyone on board this ship might know what happened in here, but hell if he was going to give them easy ammunition. "You're just scared."
> 
> Jim ignored his words, laying back down and covering his head with one arm. "See you at Senior Staffing." Leonard turned and headed back to his own room.
> 
>  
> 
> "Doctor."
> 
> Leonard turned his head in the direction of the voice behind him. "Yes, Commander?" he said, stopping in the corridor as they all exited Jim's briefing room after their morning meeting. 
> 
> Spock reached into a small bag that he had carried that morning. "I found something that I thought might be of interest to you," he said, handing a small object to Leonard. 
> 
> A closer examination showed that it was a skull, a little smaller than his fist. “This is quite interesting,” Leonard told him, holding it up and examining the bone formations. “I don't recognize the species. Rodentia?"
> 
> Spock shook his head, a pleased look on his face. "It is from an animal called a 'clade', a marsupial native to my home planet." He hesitated, then continued, "I noticed that you had a small selection of alien skulls in your office. I thought this might be an interesting addition to your collection."
> 
> "Thank you, Commander," Leonard said, a little smile on his lips. He and Spock had an interesting relationship, one that had gone through rough patches at times, but recently had mellowed into something less vitriolic. "I do enjoy looking at a nice set of bones."
> 
> "Indeed," Spock replied as they walked down the corridor toward the lift. "I assumed as much, seeing as that word has become the captain's favorite moniker for you."
> 
> "You mean 'Bones'?" Leonard laughed, trying not to make light of the situation, especially when he saw that slightly confused look on Spock's face. "No, that nickname comes from something else, a sad conversation we had once. Long story." 
> 
> "Perhaps you could tell me over dinner this evening." Spock's eyes passed over Leonard's shoulder, looking behind him. "Unless you have other obligations."
> 
> Leonard turned his head and saw Jim standing there, watching them. The captain glanced over at both of them, gave them a little wave then walked in the other direction. "Dinner would be nice," Leonard said, looking back at Spock, giving him a warm smile. "But I'm sure we can think of more interesting things to discuss." 

* * *

Leonard waited all day for some news, but still nothing. Scotty told him that they had several teams on the planet searching for Jim and Spock, but the weather was terrible, static lightning storms that created this interference. It affected all ground communications, limiting what they could accomplish. Added to this was the lingering twinge in the back of Leonard's head. He welcomed the ache, knowing it meant they were alive, at least. It wasn't too bad, not yet, but it wouldn't get any better, not until Jim and Spock were home. 

And if he were hurting like this, then he wondered how the other two were faring. 

Dinner was quiet again, Koss described his day in precise detail as if to fill in some of the silence. It was a learning experience for Leonard, having children around, even if they were Vulcan. Studious and serious as they were, the more time he spent around them, the more their distinct personalities emerged. They weren't like the kids he was used to, but that didn't mean they didn't worry and fret, in their own way. 

Tucking them into bed that night, Koss asked for some more of the story. Leonard settled into his chair, quiet for a moment as he tried to figure out the best way to explain all this. "Well," he started, "it's like how you were worried about being accepted once we get to the colony. Selek was new to the school, but he and Horatio ended up being good friends, very good friends. They ate together at lunch, and visited each other’s house after school." 

"And Tiberius?" Koss asked, curious.

"Oh, Horatio was still friends with Tiberius," Leonard told him, a sad smile on his face. "They just didn't spend as much time together as they used to." 

"Tiberius wasn't... concerned about Horatio's new friendship?" Lesai asked. 

"Horatio worried he might be," Leonard answered. "And it might have seemed that way. Tiberius was very popular at school. Everyone wanted him for their partner in projects, and on the athletic fields. He was one of those people who was naturally good at everything he tried, though," he grinned, "Selek would whip him at _kal-toh_ each and every time they played."

"Did Horatio mourn the loss of his relationship with Tiberius?"

"Yeah, I think he did, to some extent. Can't help but miss someone who's important to you. But life changes, things happen. You learn and grow." Leonard was quiet a moment, lost in thought. "Anyway, time passed for all of them, and soon it was time for Selek's test of maturity. He worked hard, studying late into the night, mentally and physically preparing for his pilgrimage in the Forge." 

"The kahs-wan," Lesai said quietly, but with a proud shine in her brown eyes. 

Leonard looked at the two of them, so mature for their young years. "In a few years, when the time comes, you both will undergo the _kahs-wan_ , once you're ready. And Selek was well prepared. He'd undergone survival training and extra meditation to strengthen himself. Horatio helped when he could, but a lot of that had to be done alone.

“So Horatio was by himself again, reading late one night when he heard a noise outside his house. He peeked out the window and saw Tiberius crouched on the ground, throwing rocks up at him. 'What are you doing?' he asked.

“'Come down, I have something to tell you,' Tiberius called out, then ran into the darkness. 

“So Horatio snuck downstairs and met Tiberius in the front of his house. 'Why are you here so late?' he asked.

“Tiberius told him that he'd been at their school, working late, and he'd overheard something terrible. Two men were discussing Selek's father, how he was trying to change the leadership in their community. The plan was to kidnap Selek to hurt his father, and Tiberius decided that the two of them should go into the Forge to warn Selek." 

Lesai leaned forward, raising her hand to stop Leonard. "Tiberius sounds like a very illogical Vulcan," she said. "The correct thing to do would have been to tell his parents and alert the authorities."

"Well, there are all kinds of Vulcans," Leonard told her, a wry smile on his face. "And in Tiberius' head, what he proposed made the most sense. Tiberius didn't feel that he could trust an adult in this situation. Sometimes adults don't always believe children," Leonard said, "and Tiberius had experienced this before. He was more of a 'leap before you look' Vulcan." Leonard continued before the kids could ask any more questions. "Now, Horatio would normally never leave his house that late, without his parents' permission, but Tiberius said that the two men had already gone after Selek, so the two of them set off into the Forge to find Selek first. 

"Tiberius had brought his hovercycle, and it was large enough for both of them to ride. They rode off for several hours, talking about Selek's training and where Horatio thought Selek might settle in for his stay... and Horatio realized that he'd missed being around his friend. All of a sudden," Leonard leaned forward, lifting his hands in the air, "something jumped out in front of their cycle and Tiberius swerved to miss it." 

"What was it?" Koss asked. 

"Both of the boys were off the cycle now, and it was dark, very dark." Leonard's voice dropped, "Neither of them could see a thing. Then it _moved_ toward them and Horatio jumped back. 

“'Do not move,' he heard, and with a slight turn of his head he saw Selek, coming toward them. 'Do not move,' he repeated, and that's when Horatio saw it. 

“Huge eyes, long fangs, and the sharpest claws any of them had ever seen. Horatio was about to ignore Selek's advice and run as fast as he could when one long claw reached out for him, for his leg and-"

Then Leonard stood. "We'll find out tomorrow what happens."

"That is a terrible way to end a story, Doctor," Koss said, his hands twisting at the corner of his pillow unhappily. 

"I cannot believe that anyone would believe that story is appropriate to tell children right before bed," Lesai added, though her eyes had a hint of a sparkle in them as well. "We might have nightmares."

Leonard laughed. "Call me if you do," he told them, about to leave. 

"Doctor?" It was Lesai again. 

"Yes, sweetheart?"

She seemed a little surprised by that endearment. "What happens if they don't come back?"

Leonard leaned against the doorway, looking down at them. They sounded so old for their years, but they really were children who needed love and security as much as anyone. “We would sit down and talk, you two and me, and decide what's best for you guys. I'll take you to Vulcan, if that's what you want. There's family waiting for you there, good people who want you two, and you'll grow up with others just like you. Everyone down there's starting over again,” he said. “It won't be easy, but you won't be alone."

“Or," he smiled at both of them, walking toward their beds, "I could take you back home with me, to Georgia, and you can grow up there. It's not a bad place." He ran his hand over Lesai's hair, pretending not to see the sadness in her eyes, knowing that to acknowledge that would upset her more. "There are lots of options we have, but the main thing is that _I don't want you to worry_. There is no need to right now. Trust me that I will make sure that you are never alone again."

He scratched at the back of his neck, looking over at little Koss. "And trust me when I say that Jim and Spock are all right and will be back soon, I promise."

 

The door to their room slid closed behind him. Rubbing the back of his head again, Leonard walked into his room and sat on the edge of the bed. Too big for one person, too lonely, but still he went through the empty motions of getting ready for bed. 

Leonard slept on the left side, always had, so he could kick out his foot in the cool air. When this 'thing' between them started, it had made more sense for Leonard to sleep in the middle, where he could be close to both of them. But Jim and Spock acquiesced to Leonard's preference for this side of the bed. It was a silly request, given all that had happened to them, but one that he was glad for all the same. 

But right now, all alone in the oversized bed, Leonard rolled over and looked at the unoccupied spaces next to him, one hand stretching out to an empty pillow. _Where are you?_

* * *

>   
>  **One year ago**   
> 

> Leonard wouldn't have classified what was happening between him and Spock as 'dating'. That was something kids did, nervous fumbling and silly butterflies in the stomach. The closest word he could find to describe their situation was 'courting'. Old-fashioned and slow, yes, but Leonard liked the old-fashioned and slowness of it all, and he definitely felt like the center of Spock's attention when they were around each other.
> 
> He and Jim still met for drinks a couple times a week, discussing small talk about ship's business and the endless inane requests from Command. Spock might have been Jim's First Officer, but Leonard remained Jim's sounding board, offering advice where he could, often just nodding along while Jim processed aloud. 
> 
> There were occasions, though, when the three of them met together, usually in Jim's room, for drinks (for Leonard) and chess (for Spock). Jim might have been a genius in Iowa, but he met his match in Spock, the two of them so well-matched in so many ways that Leonard often wondered if they would notice him leaving the room when they stared each other down during one of their heated discussion on propulsion or Shakespeare or the Betazed political structure. 
> 
> Inevitably Spock would win, unless Jim distracted him to the point of losing concentration momentarily, and Spock and Leonard would leave for the evening, more often than not retiring to Spock's quarters. 
> 
> Jim never asked Leonard about Spock. He watched the two of them a great deal, but never asked.
> 
>  
> 
> During a mission that took them close to the new Vulcan colony, Spock took some personal leave to handle a family matter. It hadn't taken Spock being gone too long before Leonard realized how much he missed him, and how serious this thing between them had gotten. 
> 
> Late one evening, the chime outside his door rang, and Jim burst into his room, wanting to know where Spock gone. "He's in danger," he said, proceeding to explain that the ship was heading back toward the planet at maximum warp, and they needed to find him as soon as possible. 
> 
> Leonard knew why Spock had gone to the colony. The recent destruction of Vulcan had created an upheaval in all areas of their society. Spock had received a message from his betrothed, T'Pring. "She wanted to discuss the dissolution of their childhood promise," he told Jim, “so they could be free to marry others." 
> 
> "It's a trick," Jim said, looking grim. "T'Pring's dead, that's been verified. One of our agents on the planet stumbled onto this plot to blackmail Sarek by taking Spock hostage. They've lured him to the surface by lying to him about his fiancee." 
> 
> Once the ship was close enough, Jim and Leonard beamed down to the surface to look for him alone, not wanting to tip off anyone to their rescue plan. They learned from Jim's sources that Spock had been seen heading west away from the capital city of Sha'Kwai. Narata didn't have a true Forge like Vulcan had, but there was an area of bleak emptiness that was being cultivated for that purpose. 
> 
> Driving into that desert, it didn't take long before they were able to find Spock's trail, eventually spotting his hovercar pulled off to the side of a cliff face. "He's around here somewhere," Jim murmured, pulling out his scanner. "I'm reading lifesigns in there," he said, pointing at a cavern. 
> 
> Just as they walked toward it, Spock emerged from the darkness, irritation on his face. "Captain - Why are you here?" Spock asked.
> 
> Jim walked toward him, his voice low. "We've come to get you out of here, you're in grave danger." 
> 
> But Spock didn't move, didn't even look surprised. "I am aware of the plot against me," Spock replied cooly, "and now your interference has destroyed my ability to find out the true mastermind behind this plot. No doubt they were alerted to your presence on the planet and have abandoned this chance to attack me."
> 
> "You're welcome, Commander," Jim retorted sarcastically. "Excuse me for being worried about you. But perhaps that was something you might have wanted to convey to me before you left the ship." Jim paused, his hands on his hips as he chuckled bitterly. "I don't suppose it ever occurred to you that had you trusted me one bit, I might have been able to help you catch these people." Jim turned, walking away. "You know what - next time, I'll just let them kill you."
> 
> But Spock was still angry, following him. "Even more puzzling - you have a team of qualified security officers at your command and you thought to bring Leonard on this quest of yours?" 
> 
> "I knew he'd want to help-"
> 
> Leonard nodded, "Jim's right, I wanted to come."
> 
> "While I don't doubt his sincerity, I do question yours, Captain. Perhaps you wanted an excuse to be alone with him."
> 
> Jim snorted, shaking his head. "I don't understand you one bit, Spock. You Vulcans, you're supposed to be emotionless, without feeling. This possessiveness you've got over him, is that inherent in your people or just an aberration in yourself?"
> 
> "If I found something valuable in what you discarded," Spock said tightly, "I will not allow you to make light of it." 
> 
> "Make light," Jim muttered low. "Nah, Spock. Just glad that you were there for him, as predictable as I knew you'd be." 
> 
> "What does that mean?" Leonard growled, pushing Spock aside. Then he turned to Spock. "And what, you don't think I'm capable of helping find you? That because I don't carry a phaser I'm worthless in this situation?"
> 
> Both men just stared at him, no one speaking. "You know what, I'm leaving. He's safe, you're here, clearly no one needs me around. I'll see you both back on board." Leonard turned to leave, reaching for his communicator when suddenly something reached around his foot. 
> 
> Long, black, tendril-like, it extended out of the cavern. Leonard tried to shake it off, then a second tendril wrapped around his other foot, sliding up his leg,and before he knew it, he was pulled off his feet and dragged into the cave. 
> 
> Clutching at anything he could grasp, Leonard had just enough time to scream for help before everything went black. 

* * *

There was better news the next morning. The static energy storms on Braxis had lessened and communications were back. Still no word from Jim or Spock, but from what Leonard understood, the security teams searching for them felt they were on the right track. 

Dinner that night was a little more animated, everyone buoyed by the news that the security teams were hot on the trail of Jim and Spock. The children were also ready to hear more of Leonard's story, but he insisted they wait until bedtime. 

"So, where did I leave off?" he asked as he stepped into their room later that night.

"The sehlat was about to eat Horatio," Lesai answered.

"Oh, right," he settled into the chair, pleased to see that it had been moved closer to their beds. "Hey, I never said it was a sehlat," Leonard laughed. 

"You said it had fangs and claws," Koss told him. "It seems obvious that it must be a sehlat, as they fit that description and were indigenous to Vulcan, often found living wild in the Forge."

"Very good, Koss. Well, yes, it was a sehlat. There are a few domesticated - Commander Spock had one as a pet, you should ask him about it," Leonard told them, "but poor Horatio had never seen one up close like this, and though he didn't want to admit it, he was quite scared." 

"What did he do?" Koss asked, curious.

"Truthfully?" Leonard chuckled. "He stood there, like a stone, just waiting for the creature to come eat him up whole. But before he knew it, Tiberius was there next to him, running in front of him, then jumping on top of the sehlat. 'Run!' he screamed to Horatio, 'Go!' But then the sehlat reached up and scratched at Tiberius and Horatio tried to get the sehlat's attention away from his friend."

The children seemed to be hanging by his words, and Leonard found himself getting involved in his own story. "And then?" Lesai asked.

"Both Horatio and Tiberius looked like they were about to be sehlat dinner," Leonard said mournfully. "But just when Horatio thought it was all over, he saw Selek stride up to the sehlat. Now mind you, this Vulcan bear was about seven feet tall standing," Leonard told him, raising his hands high in the hair to demonstrate. "But Selek, he was so brave - he reached up and held out his hands and just _grabbed_ that creature by the head and _stared_ at it. He looked into that bear's eyes and found something in there that he could communicate with, and proceeded to talk to that sehlat. Reason with it, if you can believe that. And wouldn't you know," Leonard snickered, "that sehlat just relaxed. He stopped growling and attacking and just sat down, peacefully." 

The room was quiet for a moment, the children lost in their thoughts. "So everyone was safe?"

"Yes," Leonard smiled. "It was late, though, and Tiberius' cycle was all busted up. No one wanted to start walking back in that darkness, so they all curled up next to the sehlat and slept, safe and sound, until the next morning, when they all walked home together."

  


"Selek saved them," Koss said, his voice soft and low.

"Yes he did, and after that, the three of them were the best of friends, almost... inseparable," Leonard smiled sadly. "No one can get through an experience like that and not be changed by it."

"Did anyone keep the sehlat?" Lesai asked.

"Selek did," Leonard said softly, a hint of sadness in his voice. "And it stayed with him for a long, long time. Maybe, wherever he is, he still has it, and it still protects him." Smiling at the kids, he stood. "The end. So now, I want you to go to sleep, and hopefully in the morning, I'll have some good news for you." 

 

It hadn't been a sehlat. 

Truthfully, to this day, Leonard still wasn't sure what that creature had been. So much of that day was still unknown to him, fragments of memory and emotion. Those tendrils had been real enough, he unfortunately remembered the feel of those, keeping him tied down to a slick slab of slimy flesh. He felt enveloped by it, as if his body were surrounded by this thick cloud, gelatinous and cold. But those tendrils were also inside his head, _Leonard,_ it called out his name as it examined him. Thin strands dove deep inside his head, pulling at his memories like loose threads from fabric, until he was falling apart inside his own mind. _Leonard._

> It was feeding on his life-force, Leonard knew that somehow without being told. He was seeing old friends, people and places that he hadn't thought of in years - his old dog, a college professor, sunlight on his front porch - and then the memories were gone. Just as he was sliding through a memory of his mother making a cake, singing a song to him - it stopped.
> 
> Now there were more images, memories that weren't his and Leonard knew that the creature had Jim as well. Of course Jim had run into the cave after him, and Leonard was awash with feelings of guilt and want and worry flooding through him, Jim's feelings. _Bones_ , he heard over and over again in his head, as if Jim were calling out to him, trying to grasp at him through that fog, but he was helpless to do anything, to say anything. Finally Jim reached him, their hands touching and it was like a spark between them, so much emotion pouring out.
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Shouldn't be here, my fault, just wanted you happy._  
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Was happy, Jim, missed you._  
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Missed you too, Bones, thought it was best. Don't worry, I'll get you out of here._  
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Too far gone, you go while you can._  
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _  
> **No.**  
> _  
> 
> 
> That voice, the entity, whatever it was, it didn't speak so much as press that word into their heads. _No, here, life..._ and Leonard understood. It needed his life, his memories to live. 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Get out of here Jim, hurry._  
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> _Not without you... not leaving you, ever._ That hand tightened around his, and Leonard wanted to scream at the stupidity of it all. 
> 
> Another mind had entered the fray, soothing and commanding and familiar and now Leonard wanted to cry, because it was Spock. _Get away,_ he thought as loud as he could. Why should the three of them die, both of them coming after him, so stupid. _Go Spock, no!_  
> 
> 
> Something was happening. A conversation, if a series of thoughts being passed back and forth, flurries of words and whispers flitting through his head so fast it was hard to keep up. Jim's fingers tightened on his right hand, then another hand took his left and Leonard shuddered at the feel of their thoughts, all of them together. He saw a little blond boy running after a dog, asleep under a dozen holo-images of ships, driving a car off of a cliff. He saw the Vulcan Forge, hot and endless, a child with dark hair digging the roots of a plant for food and water. _Your memories, your dreams, your fate._  
> 
> 
> And then he saw nothing. _My life for theirs._
> 
> He squeezed Spock's hand harder, _No!_ but the entity knew a bargain when it had one, apparently. Then something angry from Jim. _Not... without... you!_
> 
> Two fingers pressed against his, Vulcan words he didn't understand but somehow there was emotion there, love, for both of them. _Leonard. Jim. My lifeforce is stronger than yours, it has accepted me in your place. Go. Live._ Suddenly, Leonard felt himself free, as if the tendrils simply let go of him. Scooting back on his hands and knees as fast as he could, the darkness of the cave made it hard to find his way. "Spock!" he screamed, reaching out in the darkness. "Jim!"
> 
> Hands found him, Jim's hands. "We are not leaving him here," Jim growled. "Together?" he asked, talking loud over the sucking sound that the entity was making. "We leave here together or we don't leave at all."
> 
> It smelled so bad, rotten and cold but Leonard nodded, even though he couldn't see Jim's face. "Together," he murmured, stepping closer to Jim and together they jumped into the flesh again.

Leonard remembered very little of the next few hours. The medical report said it was because he spent the longest time in the presence of the entity, known now as the Thal. Privately, Leonard suspected his mind was weaker than the other two men, and that's why he had so much more memory loss than they had.

Spock, however, had lost more than any of the others. They'd gotten him free, somehow. Jim said there were bargains made, and Spock's life force had been severely drained, decades of his future taken away, leaving him with a lifespan that was closer to what a human's would be. 

It also left them all bonded - mentally, emotionally, physically, and everyday they seemed to grow closer and closer. Being apart for too long caused the headaches, painful for Jim and Leonard, but crippling for Spock who needed to touch them, to feel them in order to stay well. 

 

_"Bridge to Doctor McCoy."_

Leonard was tidying up the living quarters, heading to his room after putting the children to bed when his communicator went off. "McCoy here."

_"We have them, Doctor, locked onto their coordinates now. They're beaming up now and heading straight to the medical bay. Nothing life-threatening, just banged up a bit."_

"Got it," McCoy answered, looking around the room for his shoes. "I'm on my-" he glanced over at the door leading to the children's room. "Wait," he sighed, thinking. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

No sooner had he dropped his communicator than the door chimed softly. "I thought you might need some coverage," Nyota told him, stepping into the room. "I was visiting Christine in Sickbay when I heard the message come in. Go," she said, pushing him out the door. "They're gonna need you." 

Running out of the lift, he didn't stop until he got to Sickbay, where the medics pointed him to the back beds. He could feel the strain of them being away lifting off his shoulders the closer he got to them, and when he spotted them, that worry suddenly replaced with a lightness, a joy he couldn't describe. "You okay?" he asked, his hand reaching for Jim's shoulder, following Jim's eyes to the bed where Spock was sitting quietly, being examined by the doctor on duty. They both looked dirty and disheveled, dark circles under their eyes, and Spock looked like he was near collapse.

"I'm good," Jim said, covering Leonard's hand with his own. "This one here, though," Jim shook his head disapprovingly at Spock, his eyes closed as if he were meditating. "We got lost, so stupid, then a storm hit and frazzled all our equipment. We were just stuck there in that old mine shaft." His eyes met Leonard's worried gaze. "Didn't mean to scare you guys."

"Talk to me, Francois," Leonard murmured to the older man attending Spock. 

"He's a bit dehydrated," the physician answered, reading the scanner, offering it to Leonard to look at, "but otherwise, he's in good health."

"He gave me all the water we found," Jim muttered uneasily, his eyes full of warmth and need as he looked down at Spock.

"You required the water, Captain, I did not," Spock murmured quietly, eyes still closed. 

"That's not the point," Jim responded, sitting on the bed next to Spock. Looking at Leonard, he eyed the other doctor in the room. 

"I think I've got it from here," Leonard said to Francois, who nodded at the three of them and left the area, closing the curtain around the biobed behind him. Leonard and Jim both moved closer to Spock, Leonard in front of him, Jim standing behind him, wrapping their arms around him, tendrils of warmth and love surrounding him. _Yes._

"I am well enough," Spock murmured, his body belying his words as he leaned back against Jim, his arms pulling Leonard forward. "This is all I require." All three men bent their heads together, hands touching, fingers lacing, and for the moment, everything was perfect. 

Well, _almost_ perfect. "The kids are going to be so happy to see you guys." Fingertips slid over his, pressed together, the three of them connected again. "Let's get out of here, home, where I can take care of you both properly." That's what they really needed - some touching, some loving, some sleep. 

With that, Spock opened his eyes, hopped slowly off the table, and kissed both Leonard and Jim softly. He didn't say anything else, just looked at them with so much in his eyes - no words were needed. 

In the end, Leonard decided, that's all that mattered.


End file.
